VATICAN CITY (AP) — World dignitaries and Catholic faithful attended Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday.
Despite the presence of presidents and princes, prisoners and migrants ushered him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope, as hundreds of thousands have flocked to the funeral mass.
U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.N. chief and European Union leaders, as well as Prince William and the Spanish royal family, were in attendance.
Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus.
Here is the latest:
Vatican says about 200,000 people have flocked to Pope Francis’ funeral mass
The brief statement did not specify if that was in St. Peter’s Square alone.
Mourners were lined up along Via della Conciliazione, which leads up to the Vatican, and followed the Mass on big screens in public squares in Rome, including outside the Santa Maria Major Basilica.
Trump and Zelenskyy meet before the service
That’s according to Zelenskyy’s press office.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed the meeting and said they “met privately today and had a very productive discussion.”
“More details about the meeting will follow,” he said.
Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass begins in a packed St. Peter’s Square
Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year.
Pallbearers carry Pope Francis’ simple wooden coffin
They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis’ coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.
Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.
Cardinals flank pope's coffin
Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter’s Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.
Trump takes his seat for the funeral
Trump and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter’s Basilica to their seats for the service.
He was followed afterward by Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.
Giant photographs of Carlo Acutis seen in St. Peter’s Square
Acutis was supposed to have been canonized on Sunday as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.
The Vatican suspended the ceremony after Pope Francis died, but many people who had made plans to be in Rome for the canonization came anyway to attend the funeral. Announcers asked all flags and banners be lowered as the funeral was getting underway.
Bells toll to signal the start of the procession
Francis’ coffin will be brought from St. Peter’s Basilica to the front of the altar in the square.
Mourners were instructed to refrain from waving flags or banners during the procession.
Mourners are led in rosary prayer as dignitaries take their seats at Pope Francis’ funeral
World leaders and royalty sat to the right of the main altar.
EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei have all made their way to their seating.
The Argentine and Italian leaders have a place of pride in the seating order.
Trump arrives at funeral to pay respects to Pope Francis
The U.S. president clashed with the pope on immigration, climate and other issues.
Donald Trump arrived with his wife, Melania. He is among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
Mourners remember Pope Francis
They spoke of the pontiff in emotional terms while lining up along Via della Conciliazione for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square.
Miguel Vaca, a pilgrim from Peru, lined up at 7 a.m.
“He was a very charismatic pope, very human, very kind, above all very human,’’ Vaca said. “It’s a very great emotion to say goodbye to him.
Italian pilgrim Pasquale Vezza made his way to the square with his family. He said the pope “was a bit like everyone’s grandfather."
“He will be greatly missed as a person, as a pope. … Now we hope that there will be a continuation, especially of his message of peace,” Vezza said.
Ukrainian president arrives in Rome for papal funeral
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s press office confirmed his arrival, joining the first lady Olena Zelenska, who preceded him.
Zelenskyy’s presence was put in doubt after a recent missile attack.
Pope's coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used on a Philippines trip
The pope will get one more ride past the faithful on one of his beloved popemobiles.
The Vatican says for Saturday’s burial procession, his coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines.
The vehicle has been modified so the coffin will be visible to mourners along the nearly 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) route from St. Peter’s Basilica to his place of burial.
The pope reveled in being driven through crowds of faithful whether in St. Peter’s Square or on one of his many foreign trips. His last was on Easter Sunday, when he looped around St. Peter’s Square to the delight of the faithful who had followed his 5-week hospitalization for pneumonia and his recovery at the Vatican.
A Calabria parish group camped out all night to get a good spot
The 13 spent the night in a nearby square. They were already coming to Rome for the planned canonization of the first millennial saint on Sunday, which was suspended by Francis’ death. Instead, they drove up a day early for his funeral.
“The Lord wanted it this way, so we came all the same,’’ said Sandra De Felice of Anoia in the Calabria region. “For me, this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable. Otherwise, we are nothing.”
Mourners race to find a spot in St Peter’s Square
Ordinary mourners streamed Saturday to get a spot in standing room near the rear of the square surrounding the ancient obelisk, behind VIP seating. The area to the left of the main altar, up the basilica steps, is reserved for celebrants and Catholic hierarchy, while world leaders and royalty will be seated on the right.
Many ran toward the square as barricades opened. Some carried banners for the Jubilee Holy Year that Francis opened in December and will continue despite his death Monday following a stroke.
The Associated Press
